英闻天下——113 Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin Gets Underway

 　　Harbin, located in northeast China, is the capital city of Hei Longjiang Province. With an average temperature of minus 25 Centigrade or minus 13 Fahrenheit¹ in winter, it is known as the Ice City.

 

　　The International Snow Sculpture Competition is one of the earliest and main events of the Ice and Snow Festival. More than 80 competitors from 11 countries are participating in this year's event. Ice sculptor² Lin Hai explains his creation³.

 

　　"The idea is a combination of the Chinese bronze and the mask of the western world. We want to show happiness, anger, grief⁴ and joy which are the four major feelings of human beings, but our final purpose is to show our happiness."

 

　　Instead of staying warm inside, competitors choose to come out in the cold weather and create. This year's competitors have come from all walks of life - painters, decoration artists and even engineers.

 

　　Liman Metoll is a student from Nottingham Trent University in the UK.

 

　　"Ah yes it's brilliant! You've got to love it out here! Yes it is cold but you know you keep warm and stay warm, we've got good clothes. If we get cold we go inside, there's a place we can get inside and have some hot drinks. It's good. You just gotta eat a lot, make sure everything is covered. Just don't get frostbite, that's the important thing."

 

　　Apart from the competition, the Ice and Snow World provides a place for tourists and competitors to relax and have fun.

 

　　Central Avenue, built in 1898, is Harbin's most popular shopping and tourist area. Along the street, delicate ice and snow sculptures add a perfect touch to exotic⁵ buildings.

 

　　This year's most popular snow sculpture is of the Korean pop singer Psy. He is seen recreating the dance from his viral music video-"Gangnam Style."

 

　　Tourists are competing to have a photo with snow Psy and do the Gangnam Style dance in front of the sculpture. Here is visitor He Pen.

 

　　"I think it looks very funny and vivid. It adds a happy atmosphere to this extreme cold weather. I like it."

 

　　The main exhibition is located at the Ice and Snow theme park by the Songhuajiang River and covers 75,000 square meters.

 

　　Wang Zengyu, executive⁶ manager of Ice and Snow World, says the amusement park has gained international recognition⁷.

 

　　"After 14 years of efforts, our ice and snow world has reached a world-class level as an amusement park with the theme of ice and snow entertainment. This year many internationally famous companies put their designed pieces into our park. This is a good example of what I just said."

 

　　The Snow and Ice World has cooperated with entertainment companies such as Walt Disney, 21st Century Fox and video game company the Angry Bird on an interaction systems for visitors.

 

　　The park changes into a shining and dreamlike wonderland after sunset. Countless⁸ lights shine from inside the elaborate ice structures. Here is visitor Yang Xue.

 

　　"It's too beautiful here! I started to scream as soon as I got in and I could do nothing but scream! It's just too beautiful and hard to describe. I feel really excited in this innocent world of ice and snow."

 

　　But visitor Liu Xihe has some good advice to those who intend to come and see the sculptures for themselves.

 

　　"You have to wear thick wind proof gloves and for the masks you should prepare several because after a while it gets wet and frozen⁹ on you face. One more suggestion, bring enough skin lotion¹⁰ with you."

 

　　If you are thinking about where to spend your coming holiday, Harbin's Ice Festival could be a good choice.

1 Fahrenheit   

n./adj.华氏温度；华氏温度计(的)

参考例句：

• He was asked for the boiling point of water in Fahrenheit.他被问到水的沸点是华氏多少度。
• The thermometer reads 80 degrees Fahrenheit.寒暑表指出华氏80度。

2 sculptor   

n.雕刻家，雕刻家

参考例句：

• A sculptor forms her material.雕塑家把材料塑造成雕塑品。
• The sculptor rounded the clay into a sphere.那位雕塑家把黏土做成了一个球状。

3 creation   

n.创造，创造的作品，产物，宇宙，天地万物

参考例句：

• Language is the most important mental creation of man.语言是人类头脑最重要的产物。
• The creation of new playgrounds will benefit the local children.新游戏场的建立将有益于当地的儿童。

4 grief   

n.悲伤，悲痛，悲伤的事，悲痛的缘由

参考例句：

• Don't allow yourself to sink into grief,it can do no good.不要使自己陷入悲哀之中，这样一点好处也没有。
• After her mother died,she abandoned herself to grief.母亲死后，她沉浸于悲痛之中。

5 exotic   

adj.奇异的，异乎寻常的，外（国）来的，外国产

参考例句：

• There are some exotic words in English language.英语中有一些外来词。
• She likes to wear exotic clothes.她喜欢穿奇装异服。

6 executive   

adj.执行的，行政的；n.执行者，行政官，经理

参考例句：

• A good executive usually gets on well with people.一个好的高级管理人员通常与人们相处得很好。
• He is a man of great executive ability.他是个具有极高管理能力的人。

7 recognition   

n.承认，认可，认出，认识

参考例句：

• The place has changed beyond recognition.这地方变得认不出来了。
• A sudden smile of recognition flashed across his face.他脸上掠过一丝笑意，表示认识对方。

8 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

9 frozen   

adj.冻结的，冰冻的

参考例句：

• He was frozen to death on a snowing night.在一个风雪的晚上，他被冻死了。
• The weather is cold and the ground is frozen.天寒地冻。

10 lotion   

n.洗剂

参考例句：

• The lotion should be applied sparingly to the skin.这种洗液应均匀地涂在皮肤上。
• She lubricates her hands with a lotion.她用一种洗剂来滑润她的手。